Stocking protector



April 15, 1930. E. a. BISHOP STOCKING PROTECTOR Filed Nov. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l E. B. BISHOP 1,754,666

STOCKING PROTECTOR Filed Nov. 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 15, 1930.

\mmmiam Patented Apr. 15, 193% EDVJARD B. BISHOP, OF I'IAVERHILL, MAIESACHUSETTS STQCKXNG PROTECTOR Apphcation filed November 9, 1928. Serial No. 318,266.

My invention relates to protectors or shields for stockings, particularly womens stockings.

At the present time the prevailing fashion for women is short skirts and low shoes and as a rule comparatively expensive stockings are commonly worn which are mostly of a very light color, and which are exposed to the weather and splashings from the roadway from about the knees to well below the ankle joint.

In Wet weather many womens stockings are soiled, disfigured, and sometimes irreparably stained, by mud and dirty water splashed by the wearer herself on to the back side of her stockings while walking on wet pavements, and my invention has for its object to provide a shield or protector for stockings which will prevent this.

My invention provides a shield or protector of flexible sheet material, preferably leather,

which is of a size and shape to it and cover a the back only of the leg of the stocking from the heel or top of a low shoe to the calf of the log, leaving the instep and the frontof the leg of the stocking uncovered so that from the front the shield or protector is hidden behind the leg of the wearer and the usually attractive stocking is left exposed to View.

The shield or protector is fashioned to lit the back of the leg of the wearer and being disposed between the heel and calf of the leg, where it is held by straps or other suitable fastening devices extending across the front of the leg and connecting the opposite sides of the protector, it cannot become displaced vertically and holds itself against displacement in that direction by engagement with the heel and calf.

Also, at each side of its lower end portion the protector occupies a position immediately behind the ankle joint of the wearer so that the protuberant elevations of the joint at opposite sides of the leg hold the protector against rotative displacement on the latter with the result that the protector is always correctly positioned at the back of the leg.

Other features of my invention are here.- inafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings;

of Fig. 3.

Figure 6 illustrates the manner in which a pair of protectors such as shown in Figs. 1

to 5, inclusive, are applied to the legs of the wearer.

The embodiment of my invention herein illustrated comprises a body 1 made from suitable flexible sheet material that is pref- -erably waterproof, such as leather, and this body is fashioned or shaped, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, to fit the back side of the leg of the wearer and to extend from the calf of the leg to the top or upper portion of the heel, while its width is made such that it covers the rear side or half, only, of the leg as shown in r a Fig. 6. Another peculiar feature of this body 1 is that the lower end portion thereof is taperingly reduced in width as at 2, 2 so that the front edges of the same are positioned immediately behind the ankle joint of the wearer whereby the protuberantelevations 3 of the joint at opposite sides of the leg serve to hold the protector against rotative displacement.

At its upper end the body 1 may, if desired, be taperingly reduced in width as at a, A to make this end pointed, the fitPGXlJOI'blOll of this pointed end being folded outwardly and downwardly as shown at 5 in Fig. 6, which. adds an attractive feature to the article.

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the protector in position against the leg of the wearer, that herein shown consisting of upper and lower straps 6 and 7 on each I of which is provided a longituidnally adj ustable hook member 8 of well known construction to co-operate with an eye 9 carried by a leather loop 10 that is fastened by stitches to the body 1 as shown in Figs. 1 and-3.

L i The 9 1? m bers? e p tio ed nt eir straps 6 and 7 to accord with the size of the leg on which the protector is to be worn and when applying the protector it is placed in position against the back of the leg after which the straps 6 and 7 are passed across the front and engaged withthe eyes 9 by passing the free ends of the straps and the hook members 8 through said eyes so that each of the latter is hooked on to the outer cross-bar of its eye 9 in the usual manner. As will be clear the straps 6 and 7 cover very little of the front of the stocking and since the body 1 covers only the rear side of the leg, practically the whole of the front of the stocking is left exposed to view, as seen from either the front or side.

In practice I prefer to make the body 1 and the straps 6 and 7 from patent leather which may be of a color, exteriorly, to harmonize with, or match, the color of the stockings and shoes, or black which is appropriate with stockings of various colors.

A feature of the invention consists in making the body 1 from two counterpart pieces 1- and 1 of sheet material. preferably leather, joined along the longitudinal median line of the said body by stitches 11 in such manner that the two sides 1' and 1 can be folded together side-by-side along the line of the seam so as to fit flatwise against each other as indicated in Fig. 3, thus reducing the protector to a size and shape that is conveniently stored within a small envelope, not shown. Also, this mode of construction permits of shaping or fashioning the sewed together inner edges of the two parts 1 and 1 so that the protector will fit the curvature of the back of the leg as described.

Upon the inner side of the body 1 is provided a lining 12 which may be made from two pieces of canvas or other suitable fabric which are sewed together at the middle of the structure as in the case of the body 1. The outer marginal portions of these pieces of canvas are fastened to marginal strips 14 of ornamental thin leather, and to a top end piece or panel 15 of the same material. by lines of stitches 17 adjacent the inner edges of the latter, said parts 14 and 15 being secured adjacent their outer edges to the body 1 by the stitches 18.

The finish strips 14 and 15 may be made from thin leather which is of a bright ornamental color, red for example, which contrasts with the outside of the body 1. Thus. when the protector is in position on the leg of the wearer it presents a very attractive and ornamental appearance, oarticularly when thebody 1 is made from black patent leather and the turned down upper end portions 5 are red. It also has the advantage that the fronts of the stockings are left practically wholly exposed to view and the lower part of the leglis not inelosed and eausedto'perspire as in t e case of a gaiter or boot. At the same made from patent leather to match the body 1 and each is fastened to the latter at one end by stitches 6 \Vhat I claim is:

A stocking protector comprising a body of flexible sheet material fashioned to fit against and cover the back only of a stocking from the calf thereof to the upper part of the heel and having adjacent its lower end and at opposite sides thereof front edges occupying positions immediately at the rear of the protuberances of the ankle joint of the wearer whereby said body is held against rotative displacement on the leg, and means extending across the front of the stocking for holding said body in position against the leg of the wearer.

Signed by me at Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, this 2nd day of November, 1928.

EDVARD B. BISHOP. 

